Kitchen Confidential
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September 2, 2010
I think that saying most of us like French fries is not a huge exaggeration, especially when it comes to ones that are both fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
I'm not talking about those individually frozen and quick fried ones you get at a drive-through window, but the ones you get at a great steakhouse or a restaurant that actually makes them from scratch in house.
So, while being able to source them at various places around town isn't terribly hard, it isn't always convenient.
Knowing that cold weather is around the corner, some of our favourite chip wagons and drive-up joints are going to close for the season.
So what's a deep-fried potato lover to do?
Well, make them at home of course.
That being said, few of us have the space or inclination to house several litres of oil and a full blown commercial fryer that is capable of cooking french fries properly.
Sure, there are plenty of smaller appliances that do a decent job, but none of them can produce the quantity of fries for say, a family of four all at the same time.
Plus, you still have to deal with either cleaning a big pot full of oil or finding the space to store said appliance.
Don't get me wrong, you can do it in batches and produce OK fries, but the time and trouble it takes almost makes you wonder if it's worth the effort.
So here's a trick.
Most of us already own an appliance that can make great fries--a microwave.
No, I'm not talking about defrosting fries or cooking frozen ones. A microwave is perfect for creating amazing fries.
The way a microwave cooks potatoes is able to produce fries that have that soft, pillowy centres that can often elude fries that are fried in oil.
But, these nuked potatoes don't have that crispy exterior that makes them either aesthetically pleasing or truly delicious.
That's why they do need a small amount of time in oil, but we're talking only a tablespoon or two versus a litre or two.
To get that golden brown exterior, you need to take the microwaved fries and brown them in a skillet for a minute on each side.
After that, my guess is you'd never know they weren't deep fried and they taste like they were made by a gourmet chef.
This works best for steak fries, or more commonly known as potato wedges.
Without further ado, here is the recipe for arguably, the best tasting and healthiest fries I've ever tasted.
Steak Fries:
1 russet potato, scrubbed clean
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
Sea salt and pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) peanut oil
DIRECTIONS:
Cut potato into six equal wedges. Toss in canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into a microwave safe dish, skin side down, and cover with plastic wrap. Cook for seven to 10 minutes, depending on the power of your appliance.
During the last minute of cooking, heat peanut oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat. When potatoes have finished cooking in the microwave, carefully remove the plastic wrap avoiding any steam. Shake off any excess moisture off the wedges before transferring to the skillet or dab with a paper towel (any water on the wedges will cause the oil to spit). Place fries into pan and let cook 30 seconds or until lightly browned. Flip wedges over and repeat. Serve immediately.
I welcome your comments and feedback.
Please email me at b.boone@flavoursmagazine.ca
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